Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Dec 12-13

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Manchester United, Sunderland v Watford, Cardiff v Sheffield Wednesday, Derby v Brighton, Sheffield United v Coventry, Accrington v Wycombe, Morecambe v Exeter, Notts County v Newport, Oxford v Carlisle, Hamilton v Ross.

Best draws: Bournemouth v Manchester United, Cardiff v Sheffield Wednesday, Accrington v Wycombe, Notts County v Newport, Oxford v Carlisle.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Stoke, Brentford, Ipswich, Barnsley, Walsall.

Best weekend home bets: Manchester City, Tottenham, Hull, Preston, Bury, Doncaster, Swindon, Wigan, Bristol Rovers, Yeovil.


Pick of the draws: Bournemouth are on a high after their 1-0 win at Chelsea last Saturday whereas Manchester United are down in the dumps following their failure to beat West Ham at home and their early exit from the Champions League. Cardiff moved into the Championship play-off positions with their 3-2 victory at Bolton last weekend but Sheffield Wednesday, their visitors, are made of sterner stuff and have already drawn four times on the road this season. League Two looks a good place for draws this weekend. Wycombe's 2-1 triumph at Millwall was probably the best FA Cup result of last weekend and they will be a tough test for fourth-placed Accrington. Lowly Newport are playing much better under new manager John Sheridan. They knocked Barnet out of the FA Cup last Saturday and look good for a share of the spoils at Notts County. Sixth-placed Carlisle have made spectacular progress over the past two months and I rate their chances of a point at leaders Oxford.

Away days: Although Arsenal have faltered away from home recently (losing at West Bromwich Albion, drawing at Norwich), they are unlikely to stumble at bottom club Aston Villa, who are in danger of being cut off from the rest of the Premier League. Stoke were hugely impressive when defeating Manchester City 2-0 at home last Saturday. Their away record commands respect as well and I fancy them at West Ham, who are not as effective on their own ground. In the Championship, Brentford, now under the managership of former Walsall chief Dean Smith, should be backed at manager-less Fulham and Ipswich can prevail at MK Dons, who are fighting relegation, having lost five matches at home. Barnsley, bottom of League One, are worth a punt at Colchester, who have slipped perilously close to the relegation zone, and promotion-seeking Walsall ought to have too much knowhow for Fleetwood.

Homes sweet homes: Preston have a good opportunity to improve their dismal home record in the Championship against Reading, who have sacked their manager Steve Clarke and seem to be on a downward spiral. Preston's unexpected 2-0 success at Burnley last Saturday won't have done them any harm either. League One strugglers Swindon will have been greatly encouraged by their 4-0 away win against Chesterfield two weeks ago and I think they will follow that up by beating mid-table Rochdale. Yeovil, bottom of League Two, are in desperate need of points and I believe they will get them against Barnet, who appear to have slipped back into their bad old ways. Yeovil also defeated fellow League Two strugglers Stevenage in the FA Cup last weekend.


Pools info: Leicester v Chelsea (No 4 on coupon) is being judged by the pools panel while Blackburn v Rotherham (11) and Wolves v Nottingham Forest (22) are void.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of December 5-6

Ten draws: Swansea v Leicester, Watford v Norwich, Bristol City v Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday v Derby, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, Ross v St Johnstone, Real Sociedad v Eibar, Sporting Dijon v Las Palmas, Torino v Roma, Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund.

Best draws: Swansea v Leicester, Bristol City v Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday v Derby, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, Ross v St Johnstone.

Best weekend away bets: Liverpool, Tottenham, Wolves, Port Vale, Eastleigh, Carlisle.

Best weekend home bets: Southampton, Bolton, Brentford, Brighton, Burnley, Dundee, Hearts, Leyton Orient, Sheffield United, Peterborough.


Pick of the draws: Swansea's directors appear to have lost faith in manager Garry Monk, although his players still seem on board. There's no denying that the Welsh club are going through a dodgy spell but I won't be surprised if they check Leicester's Premier League charge. Promoted Bristol City have struggled to adjust to the higher demands of the Championship and will be hard-pushed to beat Blackburn, who are showing encouraging signs under new manager Paul Lambert. Derby's 2-0 victory at Hull last Friday was one of the best results of the weekend and strengthened their promotion claims. However, they may have to settle for a point against Sheffield Wednesday, whose confidence has been considerably boosted by that League Cup triumph over Arsenal. Dundee United's wretched season in the Scottish Premiership continued with a 2-1 home loss to Hamilton last Saturday but they could nick something at Kilmarnock, who crashed 5-2 at home to Partick and are looking increasingly fragile. St Johnstone have not drawn an away game this season but I believe that sequence will end at Ross, who have yet to draw at home.

Away days: The Klopp effect is proving beneficial to Liverpool, who should edge nearer the Premier League's top four by beating Newcastle on Sunday. If Liverpool play half as well as they did when trouncing Manchester City away it will be no contest. Newcastle's 5-1 hiding at Crystal Palace last Saturday left them in the relegation mire and manager Steve McClaren seems powerless to do anything about it. Tottenham are putting pressure on the division's front-runners and will fancy their chances of maximum points at mid-table West Bromwich Albion. Wolves' results in the Championship have been a letdown this season and they will want to make some amends by beating second from bottom Rotherham. My other three aways are in the second round of the FA Cup. I expect on-form Port Vale to be too strong for Exeter and for National League promotion contenders Eastleigh to prevail at fellow non-Leaguers Stourbridge. League Two high-flyers Carlisle look a sound bet at Welling.

Homes sweet homes: Cash-strapped Bolton, rock bottom of the Championship and with only one league win to their name this season, have a puncher's chance against Cardiff, who have won only once on the road. By all accounts Bolton had the better of their 1-1 home draw with Brentford on Monday and manager Neil Lennon will be looking for further improvement. In the Scottish Premiership, mid-table Dundee are worth a punt against Aberdeen, who although lying second, have little or no chance of catching Celtic. I sense an FA Cup upset at League Two Leyton Orient, who host League One Scunthorpe on Saturday. Orient can beat the best on their day while Scunthorpe's morale has probably been damaged by that 4-0 home defeat to Peterborough last weekend.


Pools info: Ipswich v Middlesbrough (No 17 on coupon) and Reading v Queen's Park Rangers (20) are void while Everton v Crystal Palace (3) and Espanyol v Levante (31) will be judged by the pools panel. I correctly forecast five draws last week and three of my five best draws.

Betting info: I got five out of six aways last weekend. Watford, Middlesbrough, Oxford, Accrington and Cheltenham all obliged.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Nov 28-29

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Everton, Cardiff v Burnley, Queens Park Rangers v Leeds, Blackpool v Fleetwood, Millwall v Bury, Rochdale v Port Vale, Shrewsbury v Gillingham, Southend v Wigan, Barnet v Mansfield, Wycombe v Portsmouth.

Best draws: Cardiff v Burnley, Millwall v Bury, Shrewsbury v Gillingham, Barnet v Mansfield, Wycombe v Portsmouth.

Best weekend away bets: Watford, Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Oxford, Accrington, Cheltenham.

Best weekend home bets: Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Blackburn, Fulham, Wolves, Burton, Coventry, Carlisle, Stevenage, Queen's Park.


Pick of the draws: Relegated Burnley are looking good for an instant return to the Premier League and will be confident of at least a point at Cardiff. Millwall and Bury suffered surprising midweek defeats in League One but both are genuine promotion contenders. Bury have been more effective away and they can force a draw at The Den. Shrewsbury's 4-2 midweek away win at Sheffield United was as unexpected as it was praiseworthy. A repeat of that form will enable them to share the spoils with second-placed Gillingham. Mansfield's defence has been mostly responsible for their rise in League Two but their trip to Barnet will probably be harder than it looks. Promotion-seeking Portsmouth have been at their best on the road in League Two but they will have their work cut out at Wycombe, who also have their sights set on going up.

Away days: Watford have two away victories to their credit in the Premier League this season and will fancy making it three at bottom club Aston Villa, who are without a win at home and in a desperate state. Nothing went right for title challengers Arsenal, beaten at West Bromwich Albion last Saturday. It was one of those freakish days which is unlikely to repeat itself at lowly Norwich on Sunday. Middlesbrough's stingy defence - only 12 goals conceded in 17 matches - should serve them well at Huddersfield in the Championship. Oxford's chief gains in League Two have come away from home and I expect them to enhance their promotion challenge by defeating Hartlepool. High-flying Accrington will be disappointed not to get maximum points at York, who crashed 6-0 to Portsmouth in midweek. National League leaders Cheltenham have lost only two of 22 league games this season. I can't see them slipping up at Aldershot.

Homes sweet homes: The appointment of Paul Lambert as manager spurred Blackburn to a 2-1 success at Preston in the Championship last Saturday. I believe they will win again this weekend, this time at the expense of League Cup quarter-finalists Sheffield Wednesday. Stevenage, fresh from their first away triumph of the season at Bristol Rovers, look capable of climbing the League Two table and I'm taking them to beat ailing Morecambe. I'm going for an upset in the third round of the Scottish Cup and having a punt on Queen's Park, from League Two, to knock out Forfar, from League One.


Pools info: I correctly forecast six draws last weekend. The six were Swansea v Bournemouth, MK Dons v Fulham, Walsall v Sheffield United, AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe, Carlisle v Portsmouth and Stevenage v Luton. I also scored three out of five with my best draws: the games at MK Dons, Carlisle and Stevenage.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Nov 21-22

Ten draws: Newcastle v Leicester, Swansea v Bournemouth, MK Dons v Fulham, Port Vale v Chesterfield, Walsall v Sheffield United, AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe, Carlisle v Portsmouth, Stevenage v Luton, Aldershot v Wrexham, Eastleigh v Grimsby.

Best draws: MK Dons v Fulham, Carlisle v Portsmouth, Stevenage v Luton, Aldershot v Wrexham, Eastleigh v Grimsby.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Peterborough, Swindon, Bradford City, St Johnstone, Falkirk.

Best weekend home bets: Chelsea, Everton, Birmingham, Burnley, Leeds, Millwall, Wigan, Barnet, Newport, Braintree.


Pick of the draws: MK Dons, who are just above the relegation zone in the Championship and clearly out of sorts, are tipped to gain a valuable point against mid-table Fulham, who sacked their manager Kit Symons after a 5-2 home defeat by Birmingham. A lack of goals has seen Portsmouth drop out of the automatic promotion places in League Two. They won't find it easy to regain their scoring touch at Carlisle, who have recovered well from their early-season troubles. Although Stevenage are at the wrong end of the table, you can't fault their spirit. This should serve them well when they clash with  fierce rivals Luton at the Lamex Stadium. Wrexham must improve their away form if they are to gain promotion from the National League. They ought to get something from their visit to Aldershot, who are up one minute and down the next. Eastleigh and Grimsby fill two of the four play-off places and as both are playing really well it is difficult to separate them.

Away days: Arsenal's away record is the best in the Premier League and with their injury problems clearing up, it is hard to see them faltering at West Bromwich Albion, who have struggled on their own ground. Peterborough have surged into promotion contention in League One and are an obvious choice at bottom club Crewe, who have failed to score in four of their past five matches. Lowly Swindon will be boosted by the appointment of Martin Ling as manager and are worth a punt at Fleetwood, who have dropped below them. Phil Parkinson's Bradford City are on a roll and could climb into the play-off places by beating Scunthorpe. St Johnstone are one of the better sides in the Scottish Premiership and must be backed at Dundee United, who have collected only eight points all season. Falkirk, an outside bet for promotion to the top flight, should strengthen their claims with victory at Queen of the South.

Homes sweet homes: The international break has probably helped out-of-sorts Chelsea and I believe they will kick-start their Premier League recovery by beating promoted Norwich at Stamford Bridge. Promotion-seeking Burnley are formidable at Turf Moor and I'm taking them to end Brighton's magnificent unbeaten run of 16 games in the Championship. Barnet's home record stands up in League Two, so don't be surprised if they add Morecambe to their list of victims. The visitors are  reeling from their midweek home FA Cup exit by bottom club Dagenham & Redbridge.

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Nov 14-15

Ten draws: Blackpool v Doncaster, Gillingham v Bury, Rochdale v Wigan, Exeter v Crawley, Luton v Barnet, Barrow v Torquay, Forest Green v Dover, Woking v Macclesfield, Morton v Queen of the South, Airdrieonians v Dunfermline.

Best draws: Blackpool v Doncaster, Gillingham v Bury, Exeter v Crawley, Luton v Barnet, Woking v Macclesfield.

Best weekend away bets: Scunthorpe, Leyton Orient, Stevenage, Eastleigh, Tranmere, Cheltenham.

Best weekend home bets: Barnsley, Chesterfield, Peterborough, Accrington, Oxford, Boreham Wood, Bromley, Grimsby, Falkirk, Ayr.


Pick of the draws: League One strugglers Blackpool will be disheartened by their FA Cup first-round exit at Barnet last Saturday and it is doubtful whether they will gain more than a point from the visit of Darren Ferguson's Doncaster. Bury's away record, as well as their form, is impressive and I believe they will hold Gillingham, who suffered a surprising away defeat by League Two Stevenage in the FA Cup last weekend. Crawley have pulled clear of the League Two relegation zone on the back of some good away results. They can add to that at Exeter, who are up and down like a yo-yo. Barnet are one of the in-form sides in the division and will not fear a trip to Luton, who have regularly flopped at home. Woking's promotion challenge in the National League is fast fading, whereas Macclesfield, their visitors, appear to be on the upgrade.

Away days: Scunthorpe are probably the most improved team in League One and are favourites to inflict another defeat on lowly Swindon. Leyton Orient scored six against non-League Staines in the FA Cup last weekend and will be confident of hitting the target again on Sunday at Hartlepool, who have struggled since the opening weeks of the season. Stevenage are yet to win away but they could put that right against second from bottom Yeovil. Eastleigh, gunning for promotion from the National League and conquerors of League One Crewe in the FA Cup last Saturday, will fancy their chances of another victory at mid-table Guiseley. Tranmere's away form is keeping them in the promotion hunt and they are worth backing at Lincoln. Free-scoring Cheltenham are the new National League leaders and will surely prevail at relegation-threatened Southport.

Homes sweet homes: League One toilers Barnsley ended a long losing run with a midweek victory in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. I've a hunch they will win again on Saturday at the expense of an inconsistent Port Vale. Oldham, 19th in League One, have remarkably not lost away this season but Chesterfield, their hosts on Saturday, are in the mood and form to spoil that record. Boreham Wood, who are just above the National League relegation zone, gained an unexpected midweek success at promotion-challenging Bromley, so don't be surprised if they collect another three points against Chester FC.


Pools info: Burton v Millwall (No 4 on coupon), Shrewsbury v Walsall (11), Morecambe v Dagenham & Redbridge (18), Wycombe v Notts County (23), Hibernian v Livingston (38), Raith v St Mirren (40), Rangers v Dumbarton (41) and Peterhead v Stranraer (45) will be adjudicated by the pools panel.